Tasting the World

Florence was so very interesting. There was something to see everywhere you turned in that city. My small group climbed 415 steps to the very top of a tower for the best view of the city. It was one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. The day was overall very different. We started in the higher end district with shops like Fendi and Prada around, then we moved into the market where EVERYONE is after a good deal. You couldn't walk down the isles of the market without being "assaulted" by a salesman offering you "a really great deal". The contrast in this particular part of Italian culture is really quite noticeable. American tourists can't walk into Dior or Valentino without one of the security guards following you around like a shop-lifter, where as in the market the sales people fight for your attention. The shopping was one of my favorite parts of the day. We also tried to get in to see the famous "David" by Michelangelo but the line wrapped around the building.

As far as the meal of Florence, I had bruschetta, gnocchi pomodoro and chocolate mousse for dessert all at a fixed price of 12 €. In Italy, the diners order their meals in very small courses. At first I just thought the portions were small, but that's not exactly the case. The menu is separated in that fashion. You first order an appetizer, then either a pasta or fish, and then a main course. Obviously this can get quite expensive so often you see fixed deals like I ordered in Florence. Those are the best way to save money but also have a filling meal.

I did the same this for dinner that night back in home sweet Roma, but I received spaghetti, chicken Marsala and a small salad, all with a glass of Prosecco. It was so delicious. Prosecco was definitely my favorite wine so far.

Also today, we visited the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It was very interesting to learn all about how much the citizens enjoyed watching the killings. Ancient Romans were blood thirsty. The Roman Forum was really cool. You could completely imagine what the first Ancient Roman city clearly looked like.

After that my group did some cool exploring. We also revisited the Pantheon to see the inside. It's a perfect dome all the way around with beautiful art work and perfectly preserved sculptures inside. We decided to enjoy a nice outdoor lunch with a beautiful view of the Pantheon. I ordered classic spaghetti and meatballs which I finished in 5 minutes it was so good. Much like Greece, the hosts in front of all the cafes barter for you to eat at their restaurant. We got offered discounts left and right. We chose one with no sitting fees and a discount. An interesting part of this meal was that the server delivered a bread basket after the meal so we can "clean our plate". I've never been offered that at any other restaurant before but it was an interesting way to end the meal.

I also did some coffee tastings today. In the states, I've yet to have a cappuccino that I loved, but in Italy it's harder to find one I don't love. It's so delicious and smooth. Not bitter at all, but you still get that caffeine kick. In Italy you order your coffee at a counter and throw it back in 3 sips right there at the counter almost like a booze shot. Those types of coffee places are always really busy so you have to go quick, but I got in at a slow moment. That was lucky because the barista took extra time an drew a pretty Christmas tree in my coffee and said "Merry Christmas" when he handed it to me. It was so cool. I definitely think the US needs places like this.

Overall I am falling in love with Italian culture and lifestyle. The fashion, the food and the coffee are enough to keep me here forever, but alas, I've only got one last day. Tomorrow we're off to Pompeii for the day and the Friday I'm boarding two more planes to home. I'll try to do one last post about my Pompeii experience. Until then arrivederci (see you soon)!

 
Wow, is Rome amazing. Everything here is such a dichotomy to Greece that it blows me away. Greece was beautiful landscapes with rolling hills, blue seas, and vivid green grass. Rome his high buildings, detailed architecture and high-end everything. On our very first day in the country it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to open the door to the hotel room, and then another ten to figure out how to turn on the lights, and then another ten to realize what a bidet is for. From the people, the streets and the atmosphere,Rome is nothing like Greece. There are no strays running around, the locals are always dressed to the nines, and the food is mostly familiar.

So far I have seen the Fontana di Trevi, the Santa Maria Basilica, the Vatican and Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. My favorite part was the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. It was easily the most beautiful work of art I have ever seen. I was completely in awe throughout the entire experience. I felt so spiritual after my time there. The story of Genesis and the Salvation depicted on the ceiling and the walls was so honest and detailed. I cannot begin to understand the passion and ambition that Michelangelo had to achieve that goal. This experience has allowed me to truly connect with the history of not only this country and society, but my religious roots.

Greece was the home of Democracy but Rome is the home of justice. I cannot wait to learn more about that and truly begin to understand how the basis of our society came out of an empire bound to fall.

Now as far as the food and restaurant culture goes, Italy has this little thing called a "sitting fee", which basically means if you choose to sit in the restaurant and eat, then you are automatically racking up some small charges. This is really interesting to me as I have never heard of such a thing. As the entitled American I am, I automatically assumed this was a rip off, but in reality this is just a part of the culture and I should not get offended.

The food has been delicious. I have had mostly croissants for breakfast with a cup of tea which is always very fresh here. I wish I could get a croissant this fresh in the US. I've always already had pizza twice, and one order of fettuccine Alfredo. Everything is so delicious but s different from the American version of the dishes. The pasta is always made in house and the pizza is always hand tossed. Italians put so much time and effort in to their food. Its like the chef is to express emotion or understanding to the diner. They want the diner to experience something, not just eat something.

To a credit this is in part due to how waiters do not rush a meal in any way. In fact, it can be considered offensive if you leave too quickly or do not finish your dish because it will look like you disliked it. Americans are always going, always timing everything. Italians are happy walking to a cafe, ordering a cappuccino and a croissant, sitting outside (even in the cold), and not leaving for a few hours. This is a lifestyle I could get used to.

I've also tried gelatto and a cannoli, which were both to-die-for. I could see myself gaining a few pounds by the time this trip is over because of the desserts alone, forgetting the insane amount of bread and prosciutto I've consumed in two days.

I'm looking forward to Florence tomorrow and then Pompeii later in the week. Rome has treated me wonderful so far and I can''t wait for more!

 

 

On Friday, our group spent the day at a Greek island called Aegina (I-EE-NA) which was quite chilly, but beautiful. The island is surrounded by the bluest water I have ever seen. The Mediterranean Sea has patches of teal and navy blue water reaching all the way up to the mountains, with beautiful pink and orange rocks on the shore. Our group spent a lot of time exploring the shore as well as the town itself. We had a lunch in a little cafe, not so near the coast. After lunch did some shopping and of course saw a number of strays as usual.


After lunch we hunted out some ruins. We found what was a village in the 5th century BC right along the island coast. There was a little museum of the artifacts that were recovered from the ruins that were fairly interesting. One thing I noticed was that around 2 o'clock all the stores were closed. This was unfortunate for us because we were freezing and really wanted to do some shopping. It turns out that Greece partakes in "siestas" although they call them "Hypnos" which by law are mandated to be between 2:30 and 5:30 pm. That is one long nap if you ask me, but it seems like a nice idea overall.

Today we had another free day which was nice. We spent the morning in the Plaka, or the marketplace which resembles a giant flee market, and did some shopping for Christmas. When we finished up our group really wanted to go the the ancient Agora but it was closed for a Greek holiday. Instead we took another small hike to a temple that over look Athens. It was beautiful as usual.

After that our entire group had lunch at a gyro place. The gyros are a dollar and come with french fries inside. It was really good. I had a traditional Greek salad with greens, olives and fetta. I think the fetta cheese will be what I miss most about Greece. It serves as such a stable for all the dishes, as well as a staple of the culture considering it comes from the abundance of goats that Greece has. It was a very nice last day in Greece and I hope Italy is just as interesting and fun!

 
 

Today we took a day trip to the Mycenae ruins as well as a small village called Nafplio and it was simply gorgeous. I have to say that Greece has completely surpassed any expectations I had set prior to the trip. The sights and views are unreal. It feels like I'm looking at a painting. The best part is that I've only seen a small fraction of country. We're heading to an island tomorrow so that should be amazing, but I am just so blown away by how beautiful this country really is.

Our group ate a late lunch in Nafplio and we ended up in a little cafe with a specialty tea menu. I ordered a honey and orange black tea (pictured above) and it was so good. The tea order came with small Greek doughnuts which were basically warm honey buns.

For lunch I ordered a cheese burger, which to some may sound like cheating, but honestly this burger was unlike anything you could find in the states. It was almost closer to sausage than beef, which wouldn't be surprising since cows are not common in Greece. Most of the group ordered different types of pizza, but the specialty tea made the meal for sure. Of course a stray dog crashed our meal as a stray has pretty much crashed every meal on this trip. It was also pretty funny the way the cafe delivered the check. It was a little receipt inside a tiny little tube. Us ignorant Americans had no clue what we were looking at. Someone suggested it was a candle, Laura even smelled the inside. When we realized it was the check we laughed our heads off.

After lunch the tour guide recommend that we try this Italian ice cream shop because they have specialty flavors. I couldn't even tell you what the name of the kind I got was because it was in Italian, but it was a vanilla with hardened chocolate dripped over the top. I enjoyed it while exploring the village with Emily.

On our exploration we met this old man that owned an olive oil shop. He was so nice and interesting. He has two kids studying on the East coast in the states. We asked him how the financial crisis was affecting his business and he said that it was, but he didn't care because all he wanted to do was retire in the US so he could be by his children. It was very sweet and he hooked us up with some cool olive oils to take home.

We have one more day trip on Friday and a free day Saturday which I think we might check out the Olympic stadium. Then Sunday at 3 am its off to Roma!

 

 

Today we took a day trip to Delphi where I experienced the most breathtaking sights and scenery I have ever seen. It is equal maybe to the Grand Canyon, but this was so different as there was a story that went along with the sights. This sight was the Temple of the Oracle of Delphi as well as the training place for the ancient Olympics. The Oracle of Delphi was a sly little fortune teller as there were never any direct answers given so that way the Oracle was always right. The tour guide phrased it as if a leader of one empire asked the Oracle if they will conquer another empire in a battle, the Oracle would respond that "an empire will fall". So no matter who wins, the Oracle is right. I personally like the way this Oracle thinks -  kind of like a lawyer a bit.

Anyway, as far as the food goes, today was easily the most delicious meal I've had so far. Our lunch provided us with that amazing view pictured above. I ordered truffle oil mushroom risotto and it was so delightful. The risotto was cooked to perfection and I would compare the sauce to a Marsala sauce but a bit thinner which sauteed mushrooms. I definitely need to recreate this at home!

Also pictured is Laura's fresh green salad and Oregano Lays. The chips were surprisingly awesome. Of the flavors of chips to choose from at our rest stop was oregano, plain salt, ketchup, and Tex-Mex. I'm wondering if there's anyway I can send a letter to Lays asking them to sell this kind in America...

After Delphi our group walked through a beautiful little village located in the side of a mountain facing the lake. It was terracotta roofs, red doors and shutters, blue and white exteriors. Exactly what you would picture when you picture a little village in Greece. We wandered through the shops and talked with locals. It was a really nice day overall.

Tomorrow we are off to the American University for two lectures: one on Greek History and one on the financial crisis as well as a tour of the campus. It should be a nice day and Greek History as well as ancient Greek history are both so interesting. Its been pretty fun trying so many new things so far (even the strange things..*cough cough Havlava). For pictures of the gorgeous village visit facebook!

Today was quite the day. Lunch started off at a restaurant in Athens called "Adrianos". It was once again outside, but surprisingly there were not too many stray visitors during this meal. This place had a female hostess, the first I've seen so far. It seems that being a waiter is very much a male profession in Greece. The female hostess was really nice! She offered to buy us a shot of Ouzo if we ate lunch there (Ouzo is a traditional Geek hard liquor, absolutely delicious). However, seeing as it was very early in the morning, we declined. She then offered us a free dessert instead, which we happily accepted.

Emily, Laura and Dacia ordered Souvlaki, which is a very traditional Greek meal and mainly consists of meat on a stick wrapped in a pita. I ordered fried calamari, a dish I'm very familiar with. It was delicious, but different as the rings still had the ink (at least that's what I thought it was) on the outside. The dessert was called Havlava which was interesting to say the least. It was a cinnamon raisin bead, except the bread was not of any consistency or texture that I have ever tasted before.

So here are a few things I've learned about Greek culture and dining so far... Water and bread is NOT FREE! That's a mistake I had to learn the hard way when lunch was 75$ even though 5 of the 7 of us shared a meal. Also, tipping is included in the check (which would have been nice to know since the beginning). Sometimes the waiters won't bring you an actual check either. They just say "your total is $75.00" and walk away. American traditional "to go" is referred to as "take away" here. Incase you ever make it to Greece, be sure to remember these!

I went on a hike after lunch which was terribly exhausting but it provided that beautiful view pictured above. When we finished with the hike up to the highest hill in Greece, we went through the actual downtown in Athens which was much more westernized. We walked through an outdoor shopping center with two, double story H&Ms, a KFC, a McDonald's, a Starbucks, a Best Buy and many high-end stores I have never heard of. I ended up resisting the call of Micky Ds and instead went to a sub shop called Everest (which I am unsure if this is Greek or not).

Overall it was another good day in Athens. Were off to Delphi tomorrow at 7:15 am (kill me now). I'm still looking forward to it though. Be sure to check my facebook for more pictures!